Grain drier and ventilator



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GRAIN DRIER AND VENTILATOR.

No. 470,607. Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

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I GRAIN DRIER AND VENTILATOR.

No. 470,607. Patented Mar.V 8, 1892.

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ATRNT VALTER R. VANDERVEER, OF MCCOOL JUNCTION, AND CHARLES F. `SI-IEDD,OF FAIRFIELD, NEBRASKA.

GRAIN DRIER AND VENTILATOR.

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,607, dated March8, 1892.

Application led Tuly 14, 1891.

The object of the invention is to provide eff ficient means for dryingand Ventilating grain; and the invention consists in the constructionhereinafter described and particularly pointed out. i Y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical'section of agrain-Ventilating building. Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section online o: .r of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are details, and

Fig. 5 is a partial section on line 'y y of Fig, 1.

Numeral 1 denotes a grain drying and ventilating building or elevator,which may have a basement below or partly below the ground. surface, ifdesired.

2 denotes hoppers or bins adapted to receive grain introduced therein inany usual or convenient manuel'.

3 denotes ventilatingopenings provided with doors 4.

The hoppers or bins 2 are located beneath a series of small hoppers 5 inthe floor 6, eX- tending across the elevator; Adjacent to these smallhoppers are vertically-arranged pipes, made of unglazed tile pipes,which are supported upon said floors 6 over openings therein, preferablyat points between the hoppers 5. They are suitably sustained on saidfloor, so as to communicate freely through suitable valved openings withthe space underneath it. The tile pipes extend to the upper part of thebuilding and communicate mediately with the open air. v Those at theseveral sides and under the roofs 7 7 open into 'ues 8 S, formed byrafters and the weather-boarding, which lues communicate with verticallues 8 at the sides of the cupola 9. Flues S communicate with flues 8,

Serial No. 399,456. (No model.)

formed between the rafters of the cupola, and the latter fines dischargeintova space 9j ust under the ridge of the cupola-roof, and this spacenormally communicates with the open air through short chimneys 25. 24indicates a perforated slide adapted to cover and uncover the bottoms ofthe said chimneys 25, which normally communicate with the fines betweenthe rafters 3. This slide is operated by a cord 27 and lever 28. Thiscord and lever may be arranged to be operated from within the cupola orfrom the ground or elsewhere. Weight 29 may normally move the slide toopen the communication between the flues and chimneys. To close thesame, the lever can be used and locked in position as long as desired.By closing the passages leading to the chimneys circulation of airtherethrough can be prevented when the atmosphere is damp and the tilepipes are likely to absorb moisture therefrom.

26 are chimney-cowls provided with vanes 30 and having outlets 3l.'lhese cowls may be of anydesired kind.

32 32 denote cupola-ventilators of usual form. The centrally-situatedtile pipes open directly into flues 8 in the lower part of the cupolaand, as shown in the present instance, at a level below a walk 10.

11 indicates a conveyer adapted to convey away the grain discharged fromthe hoppers 2.

12 are sliding doors for closing the hopper discharge-openings. Thesehave handles eX- tending above the iioor 13 of a passage-Way locatedbetween the hoppers 2, which floor is provided with one or moretrap-doors to give access to the space below for repairing or otherpurposes.

14 14 indicate levers adapted to operate sliding bottoms 1G under thehoppers 5, Wherebythe discharge of grain therefrom can be regulated orprevented.

17 17 indicate perforated slides adapted to cover and uncover the bottomof the tiles.

These slides, which may be operated in any convenient manner, are usedto exclude air from the bottoms of the tiles in damp weather, and,together with slides 24, enable the draft to be entirely cut off and alloutside air shut out.

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15 is a deflector over the passage-way and above floor 6. Thefloor-hoppers 5 are omitted at this point, and the object of thedeflector 15 above the iioor is to divert the descending grainlaterally.

The tile pipes are connected to each other and stayed to the building bytransverselyarranged wires. These can be used in duplicate and twistedtogether to inclose the tile, or single wires may be employed.

In Fig. 3 is shown a band 18, employed for the same purpose. The mainpart of the band is bent partially around the tile and a supplementarypiece 19 passed about its opposite side and secured to the band. Theband or the wire is preferably kept at its proper level by a shoulder20, formed on the exterior of the tile. Neither the band nor the wirewill seriously impede the downward movement of the grain or the escapeof moisture.

The above-described hoppers are preferably made quadrangular incross-section and the tile pipes located at the top of theirintersecting` sides, and the wires extending between the tile pipeslocated immediately over the dividing-line between hoppers, whereby theleast possible obstruction is prevented to descending grain, though thisis not essentialto all the advantages of the improvement. The tilepipes, if three or four inches in diameter, are preferably arrangedabout sixteen inches apart. They may be used four, six, or more inchesin diameter and arranged at greater distances apart.

11 and 22 denote conveyers, and A23 are chutes for distributing thegrain among the tiles, which chutes are supplied by the upper conveyer.

In operation grain is elevated to the upper part of the structure by anyusual means and distributed through chutes 23 to all parts of the spacearound the tiles. These being` unglazed and porous absorb moisture fromdamp grain, which moisture passes through to the interior surface ofsaid tiles, and is there taken up by ascending currents of air andcarried to the open air. The grain is permitted to descend throughhoppers 5 more or less rapidly, as found desirable, and it can beconveyed to the top of the structure and passed through it again, or itcan be entirely removed, as circumstances require.

Ve are aware that porous pipes have been used in grain-driers, and thatthe use of both horizontally and vertically arranged conveyers iscommon, and our improvements are hereinafter particularly pointed out.

Having thus described our invention,what we desire to secure by LettersPatent isi. A grain-drying structure havingacupola 9, provided with aconveyer and with a floor or walk for an attendant, vertical tile pipesfor Ventilating the grain, horizontal flue 8',

, and the vertical flues S and flues 8, said flues 8 and 8 being formedin the wall and roof, respectively, of the cupola, whereby the iioor andwall space are utilized for flues and means are afforded for inspectionand care of the grain in the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain-drying structure having a cupola, the vertical tile pipes,the communicating ues 8 and 8, and the chimneys provided with movable@owls having weathervanes, said iiues being arranged in the floor,exterior walls, and roof of the cupola and communicating with the cowls,whereby the floor, wall, and roof of the cupola are utilized for linesand draft therethrough is promoted, substantially as set forth.

3. In a structure for drying and Ventilating grain, the floor providedwith hoppers, the bins below said floor, the passage-way between Vsaidbins and below the hopper-Hoor, spouts leading to a space below thefloor of the passage-way, devices for opening and closing the hoppers,and devices for opening and closing the spouts of the bins, all of saiddevices extending into the passage-way, substantially as set forth.

4. In a structure for drying and Ventilating grain, the oor providedwith hoppers, the bins below said floor, the passage-way between saidbins having spouts leading to a space below the floor of thepassage-way, devices for opening and closing the hoppers,and devices foropening and closing the spouts of the bins, all of said devicesextendingintothe passageway, a conveyer adapted t-o raise grain frombelow the fioor of the passage-way to the upper part of the structure,and a door in said iioor, whereby the condition of the grain can beinspected and the operation of the apparatus conveniently controlled,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in lthe presenceof the subscribing witnesses.

WALTER R. VANDERVEER. CHARLES F. SHEDD. Witnesses:

A. B. CHRIsTIAN, RALPH STANLEY, RLY Winer-rr, JAMES BRADER.

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